On with Kara Swisher

Latest Episodes:

TMZ’s Harvey Levin Says Politics Is Pop Culture Jun 22, 2026

Show notes

TMZ, the celebrity news juggernaut, opened a Washington, D.C., bureau this spring. Founder Harvey Levin joins Kara to talk about the stories his team is looking for and why he views politics as pop culture.

Levin discusses TMZ’s earlier attempts to establish a presence in the capital and how the latest government shutdown helped revive the idea. He and Kara dig into TMZ’s standards, whether it pays sources, and Levin’s relationship with President Trump. They also discuss TMZ’s coverage of Spencer Pratt’s failed Los Angeles mayoral run.

Plus: how Levin is pivoting the business toward social media and YouTube.

Questions? Comments? Email us at on@voxmedia.com or find us on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, and Bluesky @onwithkaraswisher.

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Create or Destroy: Reimagining Marketing with Seth Matlins Jun 18, 2026

Show notes

Today, we’re bringing you an episode of “Create or Destroy: Reimagining Marketing with Seth Matlins,” a new podcast from the Vox Media Podcast Network.

In this episode, host and marketer Seth Matlins speaks with political strategist David Axelrod, who was President Obama’s chief strategist and senior advisor. David is currently a senior political commentator for CNN and the co-host of Vox Media’s “Hacks on Tap” podcast.

David sees the American brand as devalued but not beyond repair. He and Seth talk about how to fix it.

Produced by Wisdomous and the Vox Media Podcast Network.

Follow the podcast on Instagram / TikTok: @createordestroypod

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Peter Chernin on ‘Backrooms,’ Sequel Fatigue, and Hollywood Mergers Jun 15, 2026

Show notes

The low-budget horror film ‘Backrooms’ is the surprise hit of the summer so far, netting more than $200 million globally in its leap from YouTube to the big screen. But among the film’s producers is a Hollywood heavyweight: Peter Chernin. As the former president and COO of News Corp. and chairman and CEO of the Fox Group, Peter greenlit huge hits like “Titanic” and “Avatar,” before moving on to found both North Road and The Chernin Group.

Kara and Peter talk about why “Backrooms” appealed to young audiences, how Hollywood has played it too safe over the last decade, and what it needs to do to get back to making the kinds of movies people want to see. They also talk about how AI could impact the movie-making business and why he’s not opposed to Paramount’s merger with Warner Bros. Discovery.

A note to listeners: This episode was recorded before the Justice Department approved Paramount’s acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery late Friday.

Questions? Comments? Email us at on@voxmedia.com or find us on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, and Bluesky @onwithkaraswisher.

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Death in the Digital Age Jun 13, 2026

Show notes

The only real way for any of us to truly live forever is in the memories of others. In the final episode of the Hacking Longevity series, Kara talks to Valorie Jones, chief technology officer at StoryFile, which uses AI to create interactive video experiences. StoryFile also works with individuals to create a digital twin – or avatar – that can answer questions and create conversations long after they're gone. Kara then speaks with journalist Danielle Crittenden about her new book, Dispatches from Grief: A Mother’s Journey Through the Unthinkable, a memoir about the death of her daughter. They’ll talk about how technology can impact the grieving process and what many get wrong about grief.

Questions? Comments? Email us at on@voxmedia.com or find us on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, and Bluesky @onwithkaraswisher.

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Marc Maron on Podcast Grifters, Fascism & His Legacy Jun 11, 2026

Show notes

Kara sits down live at the Tribeca Festival with comedian, actor and OG podcaster Marc Maron following the world premiere of his new film, “In Memoriam.” In it, Maron stars as Langston Stanfield, a fading, narcissistic actor who’s facing a terminal cancer diagnosis and is determined to secure his place in the Oscars’ “In Memoriam” montage.

Kara and Marc talk about the film, death, legacy, anxiety, narcissism and why it’s easier for him to be candid with a room full of strangers than with the people in his life. They also get into Marc’s life after ending WTF, the manosphere, empathy, tech oligarchs and phone addiction. Plus: why Marc wishes everyone would stop podcasting.
Questions? Comments? Email us at on@voxmedia.com or find us on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, and Bluesky @onwithkaraswisher.

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ICE, Iran and $1,000 ‘Cheap Seats’: The World Cup Returns to the U.S. Jun 08, 2026

Show notes

When FIFA picked the U.S. to co-host the 2026 World Cup alongside Mexico and Canada, Americans saw it as more than just a boon for the country’s tourism industry — it was a chance to finally prove to the world that the U.S. is a soccer-loving nation. But on the eve of kickoff, the tournament has been overshadowed by exorbitant ticket prices, disappointing global travel projections, the war in Iran, and uncertainty about the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement plans at stadiums.

Kara breaks it all down with three experts: Rachel Bachman, senior sports reporter for The Wall Street Journal; Will Leitch, a contributing editor at New York Magazine and the founder of the seminal sports blog Deadspin; and Tariq Panja, a global correspondent at The New York Times who focuses on where money, geopolitics and crime intersect with sports. The four of them talk about the stakes for FIFA’s biggest World Cup and whether the soccer on the field can outshine the controversies surrounding it.

Questions? Comments? Email us at on@voxmedia.com or find us on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, and Bluesky @onwithkaraswisher.

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Music, Consciousness and the Power of Connection Jun 06, 2026

Show notes

How should we understand the relationship among sound, consciousness and a healthy mind? It has to do with the power of connection, not just to other people but the world around us.

In this episode of the Hacking Longevity series, Kara talks to Dr. AZA Allsop, an artist and psychiatrist who runs a lab at Yale that studies how music and sound can affect mental well-being and the power of connections we feel with other people.

Later, she talks to science journalist Michael Pollan, author of A World Appears: A Journey Into Consciousness. He goes deep on what makes the brain work, and he has some very interesting thoughts on whether machines could become sentient.

Questions? Comments? Email us at on@voxmedia.com or find us on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, and Bluesky @onwithkaraswisher.

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Theo Baker Cracks Open Stanford’s Faustian Bargain With Silicon Valley Jun 04, 2026

Show notes

Kara talks to Theo Baker, a Stanford University student journalist and the youngest-ever George Polk Award winner, about his new book, "How to Rule the World." In it, Baker unpacks his investigation into former Stanford president, Marc Tessier-Lavigne over research misconduct in labs he oversaw. He breaks down how the university reacted and what it says about power at Stanford and in the Valley

Theo reveals the “Stanford inside Stanford” and the university’s lucrative, no-boundaries relationship with Silicon Valley’s tech entrepreneurs and venture capitalists. He and Kara discuss secret power networks, “builders” versus “wantapreneurs” and whether Stanford is a university or, as one professor put it, an “incubator with dorms.” Plus: Theo weighs in on the backlash against AI among young people.

Questions? Comments? Email us at on@voxmedia.com or find us on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, and Bluesky @onwithkaraswisher.

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Audie Cornish and Ari Shapiro on Friendship, Feeds and Their New Podcast Jun 01, 2026

Show notes

Longtime NPR co-hosts Audie Cornish and Ari Shapiro are reuniting for a new CNN podcast, “Engagement Party.” Each week, they unpack all the culture stories they’re obsessed with and that are generating buzz, from who’s still watching “Euphoria” to viral trends like “friction-maxing.” Their conversations are grounded in their decades-long friendship, even when they disagree.

Kara, Audie and Ari talk about the stories they’re obsessed with right now, the challenges of making a culture podcast when social media is eroding our sense of shared identity, and their transition from live radio to podcasting. They also talk about how they’re navigating the news business in an era of major corporate acquisitions and mergers.

Questions? Comments? Email us at on@voxmedia.com or find us on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, and Bluesky @onwithkaraswisher.

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Longer Life: What Does Science Say? May 30, 2026

Show notes

While the longevity field is filled with dubious claims and junk science, there have been some truly remarkable advances that will have an impact on how we can live longer and stay healthier. In this episode, Kara unpacks some of them with Dr. Eric Verdin, the president and CEO of the Buck Institute for Research on Aging in Novato, California. The Buck Institute was the first of its kind, and it’s at the forefront of all the latest research on longevity.

Later she speaks to Dr. Vinod Balachandran, attending physician and director of The Olayan Center for Cancer Vaccines at Memorial Sloan Kettering in New York. He’ll explain his research into mRNA vaccines and their potential to treat and possibly cure pancreatic cancer.

Questions? Comments? Email us at on@voxmedia.com or find us on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, and Bluesky @onwithkaraswisher.

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